Cape Breton's Magazine

the size of them. They're terribly small. And we were never used to that, from the hook-and-line fishery. Never. Never ever. They can regulate a lot of these nets that they've put in the water too, just by the mesh size. Small fish will go through the mesh. Not very difficult. But they can al? so tell you that they can regulate the size of the mesh from those draggers. But they don't tell you about what the doors and the rollers are doing on the bottom, going along. I just don't believe that too many fish escape.... It's like a great big ice cream cone being dragged along the bottom with two great big drawers that are angled to hold it open. With rollers. Away she goes. And that's got to tear hell out of the bottom, you know! But it's political, this stuff. WHALE CRUISERS LTD. ESTABLISHED 1981 CHETICAMP (Opposite large stone church visible for miles.) Aboard the 42 ft. vessels WHALE CRUISER and BONNIE MAUREEN III, search for pilot whales, fin whales and minkes. Bird lovers may see bald eagles, gannets and a variety of other birds along the stenic coastline ot Cape Breton Highlands National Park. View interesting geology rock formations and sea caves. Enjoy an ocean experience. SCHEDULE DAILY: May - June, 6 pm (3 hrs.) July - Aug. 15, 9 am, 1 pm, 6 pm '''' Aug. 16 - Sept. 15, 9 am, 1 pm, 5 pm (vSil After Sept. 15, 4 pm WiSs) Adults $25.00, Children 6-12, $10.00 Under 6 years FREE Contact: Whale Cruisers Ltd., Capt. Gal. Poirier P.O. Box 183, Cheticamp, N.S. BOE 1H0 Phone: (902) 224-3376 Fax: (902) 224-1166 Toll Free: 1-800-813-3376 During one period last season, with a radio-equipped spotter vehicle, whales were sighted over 40 trips in a row. • BUS TOURS WELCOME • NOVA SCOTIA'S ORIGINAL WHALE CRUISE Awards: TIANS & Ambassador lei on parle Fran9ais you know. To say to the dragger fisher? men, "You're all through." (You yourself were in no posi? tion to say, "No, we won't take this. No, we won't take fish that size.") Never thought Cooperative Artisanale XWTy Acadian Restaurant/ Acadian Museum V p. O. Box 98, Cheticamp, NS BOE IHO (902) 224-2170 Experience Acadian Traditions • Featuring the world famous Cheticamp hand-hooked rugs • Local crafts and souvenirs for all tastes • Taste and enjoy various Acadian foods in our Licensed Dining Room: Chicken Fricot • Meat Pies • Chowder & Fish Dishes • Homemade Dessert • Recommended in Where to Eat in Canada; member Taste of Nova Scotia • Visit our Acadian iVIuseum • Hooking, spinning & weaving demonstrations • Open every day to welcome you, iVIay 1st - October 31st of it. Oh yes, you're right there. We were certainly in a position about size. But you just didn't think that way. For example, you were in a strong position --as I well remember, we would never take codfish from the Bras d'Or Lakes. And now they take them wherever they can get them. {This conversation was just before the cod moratorium was declared.) Because they were full of worms. And I'm damn sure they're still full of worms. The boats go up there and catch them. But we wouldn't even think of taking one in the fish plant because it costs too much money to get the worms out of them. So we'd just say, "Don't bring any fish from the Bras d'Or Lakes." We used to do what they call "worming," but the proper word is candling. Under lights, and you'd pick these damn para? sites out. Which is supposed to be caused by another thing--they know this--by the excreta of seals--the fish eating it. And as a result, that's what they blame it on. What they should be doing is getting rid of all those bloody seals that are around, too. There's lots of them; people don't realize what's around them. (They're not killing the seals either.) No, but that's a different type of seal. That's the biggest problem, of course. That's the whitecoat, which is the harp seal, and the old--what's the other one called? (Grey?) No, no, no. The grey seal is the harbour seal. And that's the ones that are around here year round. That's the ones that'll go up in the Bras d'Or Lakes. They're the ones that are out in Sable Island--the ones that are on the Bird Island now. And that'll eat--you know, how much do they eat, to keep themselves up? And they can get rid of those. You know, shoot them. If you want to get rid of them, clear of them. But that's a real no-no. They're talking about doing something with the breeding of the darn things, like shooting a dart in them or something, so they can't breed! Laughs. (Did you ever think there would come a time when you just wouldn't see fish? When they wouldn't have a codfish?) Hindsight is ...Our Home • Cheticamp! 83